During his youth, the succession to the Seljuq sultanate was complicated by the death of two of his half-brothers: Dawud (died 1082) and Ahmad (died 1088), whom both were sons of the Kara-Khanid Princess Turkan Khatun, she also had a named Mahmud (born 1087) which she wanted to succeed his father, while the vizierNizam al-Mulk and most of the Seljuq army was in favor of Barkiyaruq,[4] the oldest of all Malik Shah's living sons and born to a Seljuq princess. Turkan Khatun then allied with Taj al-Mulk Abu'l Ghana'im to try to remove Nizam from his post. Nizam was later assassinated in 1092, which made Barkiyaruq lose a powerful supporter. Barkiyaruq's father eventually died some months later. Turkhan Khatun then took the opportunity of his death, and with the support of Taj al-Mulk, put her 4 year old Mahmud I on the throne, while Barkiyaruq was proclaimed as Sultan of the Seljuq Empire at Ray by the faction of the dead vizier Nizam al-Mulk.

However, Mahmud I was not the only Seljuq claimant to the throne, several other Seljuq princes such as Arslan-Argun, Mehmed I, and Tutush I, also claimed the throne.[5] Taj al-Mulk was later assassinated by the ghulams of Nizam al-Mulk,[6] while Turkhan Khatun and her son Mahmud I died in 1094. One year later, Barkiyaruq clashed with Tutush I at Ray, where Barkiyaruq managed to emerge victorious and kill Tutush I along with his supporter Ali ibn Faramurz.[7]

In 1105, Barkiyaruq died in Borujerd, and was succeeded by his son Malik Shah II. It has been reported that his body was returned to Isfahan. However, some people say[who?] his tomb is in 5 km north of Borujerd, where today is a historical monument called Zavvarian.

During Barkiyaruq's short reign, he had five viziers, three of them were the children of Nizam al-Mulk; Izz al-Mulk Husain, Mu'ayyid al-Mulk and Fakhr al-Mulk.[8] The two other viziers were Abd-al-Dihistani Jalil and Khatir al-Mulk Abu Mansur Maybudi. During his reign, Barkiyaruq's mostly focused on a way to find money to keep the expenses of the state.

^The Political and Dynastic History of the Iranian World (AD 1000-1217), C.E. Bosworth, The Cambridge History of Iran:The Saljuq and Mongol Periods, Vol. 5, ed. J.A. Boyle, (Cambridge University Press, 1968), 105.